Four years. That is what this journey has looked like for me. Four years of facing trauma, surviving what I survived, and fighting to get to the other side. When I say, “Look how far you’ve come,” I pause, because there were real moments when I did not know how healing would even be possible, and I know I am not the only one who has lived that reality.

Too many gun violence survivors are expected to just be grateful they lived and then quietly figure the rest out alone. People see the physical survival, but they do not always see the fear, the grief, the emotional weight, and the long road that comes after. Surviving is not the end of the story. For so many of us, it is the beginning of a long, painful process of learning how to live again.

That is why I am calling on state lawmakers to fund long-term trauma recovery services for gun violence survivors, including counseling, support groups, and recovery programs that people can actually access after the headlines fade. Healing does not happen in a moment. It takes time, care, and real support, and survivors should not have to fight for that alone after already fighting to stay alive.

I am proud to be here. I am proud to have come this far. But pride should not replace policy, and survival should not depend on luck or personal strength alone. If you believe gun violence survivors deserve real support for the long haul, not just thoughts and prayers, please sign this petition and stand with us.